Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
— Matthew 12:31-32
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
— Matthew 7:21-22
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
— Numbers 24:15-17
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
— Galatians 3:2
They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
— Luke 8:13
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
— Matthew 23:31-32
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
— James 5:7
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
— Matthew 7:19
Miscellanies, or Notes on Scripture Concerning Those Once Enlightened, Sinning Wilfully, by Jonathan Edwards.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
— Hebrews 6:4-8
74. Hebrews 6:4–6. “For it is impossible for those that were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift,” etc. (Let be added to this, No. 299.)This cross-reference is a later interlineation. What is meant by these things here mentioned may be gathered from the foregoing verses. The Apostle exhorts us, when we have begun in Christianity, to go on and make progress to higher attainments, and not to have all to begin again, that when once we had laid the foundation, we should go on and build the superstructure, and not to keep always laying the foundation, or have occasion to lay it the second time, which foundation, or beginning, or first setting out in Christianity, consists in these things: “In repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God” (Hebrews 6:1), which foundation was laid when they first turned from their erroneous and wicked ways, and embraced Christianity, and believed the gospel. And nextly, “in the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands” (Hebrews 6:2), because when they first entered upon a profession of the gospel, they were baptized, and had hands laid on them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. By the “doctrine of baptisms and laying on of hands,” the Apostle means those plain instructions that were given them to prepare them for baptism and laying on hands. And lastly, “in the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” (Hebrews 6:2). The doctrines of resurrection and the future state, or world to come, were the first principles of religion that they first began with.
Now by “those who were once enlightened,” the Apostle means those that were once indoctrinated in Christianity, and brought so far to understand and believe it, as to make them forsake their former errors and vicious courses in their unbelief, as is evidently understood (Hebrews 10:32). “Tasting of the heavenly gift, and being made partakers of the Holy Ghost” are the same, and means their receiving the Holy Ghost, as they did by the laying on of hands. And lastly, “in tasting of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come” (Hebrews 6:5). Though ’tis probable there were many were made partakers of the gift of the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands than were true saints, yet I believe that when it was not accompanied with gracious exercises, yet it was always accompanied with great common illuminations and affections. ‘Tis not probable that they should have the Holy Ghost dwelling in them with respect to his miraculous influences, and not feel anything of the power of it in their souls.JE deleted “They felt his presence in their minds.” When the Holy Ghost was given them, they felt his presence, not only outwardly but inwardly, not only in their understanding, but affections. I believe never any had the Holy Ghost with respect to his extraordinary operations (see Numbers 23:16 and Numbers 24:5–6, and 1 Samuel 10:6)These references are a later interlineation.—Balaam, Saul, nor unconverted men—but that he felt his influence this way. Thus they “tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.” They “tasted of the good word of God” as the stony-ground hearers who, anon with joy, received the word, and as the Galatians did, who thought it such a blessedness to hear the word of God, and would have plucked out their eyes and given them to the Apostle, They experienced in themselves “the powers of the world to come,” that is, of the invisible world (see Ephesians 1:21, and Hebrews 2:5),Ibid. felt the powers of the invisible agents of that world upon their minds. ‘Tis certain none exercised miraculous gifts without extraordinary influence of the Spirit of God to convince the judgment. 1 Corinthians 13:2, “Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have no charity, I am nothing.” And doubtless, there was commonly an answerable or proportionable effect on the affections, as there was on the judgment. As that faith there mentioned is there distinguished from true grace or charity, and therefore differed in kind from saving faith, so do these things here mentioned from saving grace.
299. Hebrews 6:4–6. Let this be added to No. 74. If any think that the Apostle here used expressions too high to denote any gifts of the Spirit common to good and bad men, though miraculous gifts, I answer that the drift of the Apostle, and his argument in these words, led him to set forth the greatness of the privilege that such persons had received, that he might the better show the exceeding aggravations of their apostasy, whence what the Apostle says might be the more easily believed, viz. that it was impossible “to renew them again to repentance.” For ’tis certain that he intends the aggravatedness of their crime as a reason of it, because he himself gives it as a reason of it (Hebrews 6:6), in these words, “seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
227. Hebrews 6:4–6. “For it is impossible,” etc. Those that the Apostle here has respect to must be such as were guilty of the unpardonable sin. The falling away that he speaks of is an apostasy from Christianity. It could not be otherwise but that those, who in those days had been Christians, and then openly renounced Christianity, must openly reproach that JE deleted “Holy Ghost.” Spirit that Christians were then so generally endued with in his miraculous gifts, which was so notorious, and was so great a thing, and the principal thing in them that drew the eyes of the world upon them, and was the greatest seal that God gave them, to evidence in the sight of the world that they were his people, and which was the argument that was principally effectual for the gaining others to them. When they openly renounced Christianity that they once had appeared to embrace, their renunciation contained a great and open reproach, for it was an avowed casting away and rejecting a thing that has been received, as having found it naught and vile.JE deleted “and an open renunciation can scarcely be without declaring this in words.” He that admits and receives another in the capacity of a wife, MS: “wife (or Husband or Lord) or Servant or any other.” or husband, or lord, or other relation, and then afterwards on trial rejects them, and turns them out of doors, casts a vastly greater reproach on them than those that never received them; much more those that received anyone for their God. So those apostates here spoken (of), in renouncing Christianity, did openly cast the greatest reproach on Christianity; and therefore the Apostle says, Hebrews 6:6, they “put him to an open shame.” And indeed, an open declared renunciation of Christianity, after it had been embraced, is itself an open reproaching and blaspheming of it in words. And they that apostatized and openly renounced Christianity in those days, and the church being in those circumstances that have already been mentioned, must openly renounce and reproach that Spirit that the Christians were endued with and confirmed by, for that Spirit was the principal and most notorious thing in that Christianity that they renounced and reproached. And especially must it be so, when those openly renounced Christianity that had themselves been endued with the Holy Ghost, as those here spoken of had been. In renouncing Christianity, they must renounce that Spirit, that great seal of Christianity that they had had. And those that had such experience of the evidences of the truth of Christianity that those had, as has been explained, No. 74, must do it against light and the conviction of their own consciences; and so what they did amounts to the sin against the Holy Ghost, as explained, “Miscellanies,” nos. 475 and 703.In no. 475 entitled “SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST,” JE develops at length “three things essential to this sin, viz. conviction, malice and presumption (presumption in expressing that malice).” See the same entry for a discussion of JE’s reading of Richard Baxter’s sermon, For Prevention of the Unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost (Works, 13, 517–22, n. 2). In no. 703, similarly titled, JE discusses the fact that this sin involves “avowed malicious opposition and contumacy against the Holy Ghost in his work and office, and as communicated to men and acting in them either in his ordinary or extraordinary influences and operations.” He also asserts that the “ground of the unpardonableness of this sin” is the “arbitrary constitution” of God. And those that apostatized from Christianity under these circumstances would naturally be abundant in their reproaches of the religion they had renounced, and the Spirit that confirmed, that they might justify themselves, and that they might not appear inconsistent with themselves in the eye of the world. The same apostates are evidently spoken of in Hebrews 10:25–29, where he speaks of their forsaking the assemblies of Christians, and sinning wilfully, after they had received the knowledge of the truth, and treading underfoot the Son of God, and renouncing the blood of the covenant wherewith they had been sanctified, and doing despite to the Spirit of grace. See further of this last place,I.e. Hebrews 10:25–29. No. 230.This cross-reference is a later addition.
501b. Hebrews 6:4–6. Concerning “those who were once enlightened,” etc. ‘Tis an argument that those here spoken of are such as were never regenerated, that they are compared to the thorny ground, which, however it may seem to receive the seed and to nourish it, so that it may spring up and appear flourishing a while, yet never brings forth any good fruit, but the fruit finally produced always is briars and thorns, because the ground is thorny, full of seeds and roots of thorns, which never (were) purged out to prepare the ground for the good seed. So that whatever showers descend upon it, how benign soever they are, yet only go to nourish the thorns, and make ’em grow the faster, Hebrews 6:8, which representation certainly implies that the ground is naught. It was never so changed as to prepare it to bring forth good fruit. ‘Tis a good rule in our endeavors to understand the mind of the Spirit of God, to compare spiritual things with spiritual, and to interpret Scripture by Scripture. Now ’tis manifest that Christ represents the thorny ground as different from the good ground. The ground itself is naught, and not fitted so to receive and nourish the seed as to bring good fruit to perfection. And they that are represented by the thorny ground are, in Christ’s explanation of the parable (Luke 8:4–15), distinguished from those that have good and honest hearts. The fault of the wayside, of the stony ground, and the thorny ground, was, in each, the nature of the ground; and the good fruit in the good ground is ascribed to the better nature of the ground. And therefore they that are here represented as ground, which though often receiving refreshing benign showers, and yet always bringing forth briars and thorns, is ground that never has been purged, and changed, and made good, but is inveterately evil, and therefore fit for nothing but to be burnt. ‘Tis not impossible that thorny ground may be brought to bring forth good fruit, but then it must be changed. The very roots of the thorns must be killed or rooted up. If this ben’t done, let good seed be sown in it, and good and kindly showers of rain descend upon it never so often, it will bring forth briars and thorns. This killing or rooting up of the lusts of the heart, compared to thorns, is done by a work of regeneration, or circumcising the heart, as is represented, Jeremiah 4:3–4. “Break up your fallow ground; sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it.” There the end of the ground that bears briars and thorns is represented as being to be burned, as here in the Hebrews 6. This is the end of those whose hearts do as it were bring forth briars and thorns, and that, because their hearts were never circumcised, i.e. never regenerated.
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised; And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
— Hebrews 10:23-27
230. Hebrews 10:25–29. Let this be added to No. 227. That the sin against the Holy Ghost is here intended, is confirmed from the place in the Old Testament that seems to be referred to in the Hebrews 10:28 and Hebrews 10:29 verses, for the place that seems especially to be referred to is that in Numbers 15:30–36, where God, having been speaking of the sins of ignorance that should be atoned with sacrifice, tells what sin should not be atoned with sacrifice, in these words: “But the soul that doth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall be utterly cut off” Numbers 15:30–31). And then in the words next following, there is an instance given of such a man so sinning presumptuously, viz. the sabbath-breaker that gathered sticks on the sabbath, and how no sacrifice was accepted for him, but he perished without mercy by all the congregation’s stoning him with stones. See margin of the Hebrew Bible.This sentence is a later interlineation. Here JE may have reference to the import of the Hebrew verb in Numbers 15:35, מוֹת יוּמַת, which implies “being put to a violent death.” That the Apostle here refers (to Numbers 15:30–36) seems evident by these things: the Apostle is here speaking of a sin for which there remains no more sacrifice, and in that in Numbers shows what sins were not to be atoned by legal sacrifice. He speaks here of him that “despised Moses’ law” which agrees with those words in that place in Numbers, “Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment,” the reason given in that place why no sacrifice was to be accepted for him; so here the reason given why no more sacrifice remains, is that he sins willfully. In that place another reason why (he) should perish without accepting a sacrifice was that he “reproached the Lord.” So here the reason given why there remained no sacrifice for this was that he had insolently and maliciously reproached the Spirit of grace, for so the words in the original signify, which are translated “hath done despite to the Spirit of grace.”τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς χάϱιτος ενυβϱίσας. See Mastricht, p. 363, col. 1.Petrus van Mastricht, Theoretico-practica theologia, qua, per singula capita Theologica, pars exegetica, dogmatica, elenchtica, & practica, perpetua successione conjugantur, ed. nova (Trajecti ad Rhenum & Amstelodami, 1715), p. 363, col. 1, contains a discussion of reasons why the sin against the Holy Ghost is unforgivable. Another reason there given is that “he had despised the word of the Lord”; a reason here given is that he had trampled on the Son of God, who is the Word of God. The man gathering sticks perished by the hand of all the congregation; all, the whole congregation, were commanded to stone him with (stones), to be a testimony that none had mercy on him, agreeable to God’s direction in such a case. Deuteronomy 13:8–10, “Neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare. But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die.” Thus the sabbath-breaker perished without mercy, and he died under the hand of two or three witnesses, as the Apostle concluded from the law in such a case.
Hence we may gather the meaning of the word “wilfully” in this place, that the Apostle means by it in the same sense as the man in Numbers is said to sin “presumptuously.” The phrase in the original is “with an high hand,” or rather, “a lifted-up hand,”בַּיָד רָמַה. as of one that is going to strike another. The same word is used of Jeroboam. 1 Kings 11:26, “He lift up his hand against the king.”
https://takeupcross.com
takeupcross
Take Up the Cross 